Wizarding Orphanages

[OliveOil_Med]

In the Harry Potter books, people are always talking about orfanages as opposed to foster homes or group homes. I realized most of the orfanages talked about were for Muggles and the stories are set fifteen years ago, but I still wonder: what do you imagine wizarding orphanages are like.

I assume orphanages still exist in the wizarding world as oppsed to foster care just because so many other social asspects seem behind in the wizarding world. How do you think a wizarding orphanage would be given what we already associate with them?

[Tim the Enchanter]

If you look at the structure of the Ministry of Magic, it seems to be devoid of any charitable agency. That leads me to believe that if there were to be any wizarding orphanages, they would most likely be run by some kindly soul (or heartless monster) and would not be under the direct control of the Ministry.

However, note that the only orphanage mentioned in the Potter books was the Muggle institution that Tom Riddle lived in as a boy. All other orphans in the series lived with relatives - Harry Potter with the Dursleys, Neville Longbottom (I consider him an orphan, though his parents aren't dead yet) with his Gran, and Teddy Lupin with Andromeda Tonks. Therefore, I'm under the impression that customarily wizarding orphans are simply taken in by other living relations. But if there happen to be no living relatives, then an orphan might be left with some legal guardian, like a godfather like Sirius Black for Harry (if he hadn't gone to Azkaban) or Harry for Teddy. Or if not that, then somebody could just adopt the child.

Tim the Enchanter

[Vittoria]

All other orphans in the series lived with relatives - Harry Potter with the Dursleys, Neville Longbottom (I consider him an orphan, though his parents aren't dead yet) with his Gran, and Teddy Lupin with Andromeda Tonks. Therefore, I'm under the impression that customarily wizarding orphans are simply taken in by other living relations. But if there happen to be no living relatives, then an orphan might be left with some legal guardian, like a godfather like Sirius Black for Harry (if he hadn't gone to Azkaban) or Harry for Teddy. Or if not that, then somebody could just adopt the child.

But another possibility to consider is, what if the living relatives have disowned the orphan in question? For instance, if Andromeda Tonks and Harry had died in the war, who will Teddy Lupin go to? I'm sure the Malfoy's will not be willing to take in Teddy into their household (they being the closest living relatives of Teddy Lupin, if I'm not much mistaken).

The answer to this might be adoption. If so, what are the rules and regulations concerning adoption? Will the Weasley's try and adopt him?

[OliveOil_Med]

Maybe orphanages are a temporary or as-needed agency. I imagine violent wars would have left a lot of them. Maybe if there is a need for them, the Ministry will work to create them.

But then, we are only talking about Britain here. What about countries where (at least in Muggle society) there are a lot more orphans and abandoned children?

[TheCursedQuill]

The answer to this might be adoption. If so, what are the rules and regulations concerning adoption? Will the Weasley's try and adopt him?

I would definitely think the Weasley's would "adopt" him. The reason why I have the word 'adopt' in quotations is because, well, I don't really see wizards having "adoption" in the literal sense of it. I would think that wizards would just simply have legal guardianships over a person. They take care of them as a parent would, but they are never seen as their actual parent. Wizards are very proud of their family ties (well, mostly they are.. Sirius' case is a little different). To take out a child's parentage might just seem wrong to a wizard. I believe that Hermione and Ron would think this way if they were to take in Teddy. They would raise him knowing that his father was Remus and his mother Nymphadora, they would teach him all about his background and what wonderful people his parents were -- much like how Hagrid taught Harry about his parents. I think that Hermione would never want Teddy to see her as his mother. And that's what adoption does.

Maybe orphanages are a temporary or as-needed agency. I imagine violent wars would have left a lot of them. Maybe if there is a need for them, the Ministry will work to create them.

There is no mention that any orpahanages were created even after the first war, which makes me believe that magical orphanages just don't exsit. If there was absoulutly no body to take in a child of a wizarding family, then I think they would most likely either be placed with a close family friend who is willing to take in the child, or they would be taken to a muggle orphanage. If they show magical abilities it is obvious that someone from Hogwarts would contact them just as Dumbledore had done with Tom.